Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Leadby Sheryl Sandberg has some great concepts, but it wasn’t what I expected. I skipped a few chapters in the middle that focused on balancing being a mother and having a career. Most of the content is included in her TED talk.

Jane Crow: The Life of Pauli Murrayby Rosalind Rosenberg is a powerful biography of a person I had never heard of. Pauli Murray was pivotal in advancing civil rights and women’s rights, but is largely ignored by history. Some reviews say the book reads like a thesis, but I found it enjoyable and moving. There were several moments when I had to stop reading and reexamine my understanding of the world.

Because of Miss Bridgerton is the first in a regency romance series by Julia Quinn. The writing can be repetitive, which I assume is good for readers who read slowly or come back to the book after some time away. The relationship develops organically and the story line is well-paced.

The Deal of a Lifetimeby Fredrik Backman. This was a quick, 45 minute audiobook that I was disappointed I had to walk away from. The story is powerful and thoughtful. Not quite the thing to get you into the holiday spirit, but enjoyable nonetheless.

Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)was a rewatch because my husband and I found that we couldn’t remember watching it. Marvel movies are interesting to rewatch because they hide a lot of information that becomes important later. When I watched Black Panther, I had not recognized Andy Serkis‘s character as having also been in Age of Ultron.

I saw the trailer for Thoroughbreds (2017)in a Facebook ad and was intrigued. It’s worth watching once. The cinematography was pretty great, and it was nice to see Anton Yelchin in one last film.